'Effective Blogging - 67 Ideas for Blog Topics' By Jill Whalen

Feb. 2012NOTE: Our clients often ask us if they should add a 'Blog' component to their websites. There are certainly valid reasons to do so depending on the type of website. If a 'Blog' becomes a reality the next issue they express concern about is, 'what to put in a blog. This article by Jill Whalen is definitley useful in answering that important second question.~ Jay Thistle

You're likely sick of hearing about the importance of having great blog post content. But you know you need it in order to have something to promote via social media. And you know that great blog posts can bring in lots of long-tail search engine visitors.Image Credit: qisurWhat you may have trouble with is what to write about in your blog.

With that in mind, I've brainstormed 67 blog ideas to get your creative juices flowing. What you write about in your blog will of course depend on your type of blog, your industry, whether you're selling products or services, whether you have a local walk-in establishment, and a number of other factors.

When you browse through this list, remember that most blogs should have a wide variety of blog post types rather than always sticking with the same ones. While it's fine to announce a new product or service on your blog, if that's all you do, it could get pretty boring.

I've put the types of information into a few different categories to make it easier for you to scan for the type that might interest you. So without further ado, I give you 67 ideas for blog topics that could interest your target audience:

Upcoming events:

1. Classes, seminars, conferences, webinars (and why you should attend).2. Special events (wine tastings, 5-course dinners, open houses, etc.)3. Introduction to new products or services.4. Important company announcements (as long as this isn't all you do).5. Free stuff you're giving away.6. Special offers, discounts, coupons.7. Gift ideas.

Tutorials, product support and how-to guides (in the form of text, videos, or infographics):

13. How to set up your products.14. How to choose your products or services.15. How to use your products.16. How to fix your products.17. How to assemble your products.18. How to clean your products.19. How to protect your products.20. How to know if you need a particular product or service.21. How to get the most out of your product or service.22. Explain the subtle differences between your products (and/or those of your competitors).23. Answer reader and customer questions.24. Conference session summaries.

Show your expertise:

25. Do it yourself: For example, how to create a Title tag, how to unclog a toilet, how to file your taxes.26. Provide your thoughts on industry news.27. Take an opposite stand on an important industry topic.28. How to avoid making mistakes (in whatever it is you do).29. Industry myths.30. Show both sides of an industry debate and provide your opinion.31. Discuss industry trends.32. Discuss the results of tests you've performed relating to your industry.33. How to be a better...whatever.34. How to avoid…whatever.35. How to protect yourself from…whatever.36. How to survive a…whatever.37. How to recover from a…whatever.38. How to become a…whatever.39. How to create a…whatever.40. How to change your…whatever.41. How to calculate your…whatever.42. How to beat…whatever.43. How to improve your…whatever.44. How to make your…whatever…easier.45. How to save money on…whatever.46. How to be seen as…whatever.47. How to have the…whatever…you always wanted.48. How to stop doing…whatever.49. How to justify…whatever.50. The problems with…whatever.51. The importance of…whatever.52. What caused…whatever?53. How to understanding the subtleties of…whatever.54. What not to do with…whatever.

Interviews (in the form of writing, videos, audio, or a combination):

55. Interviews with industry experts.56. Interviews with people who work at your company.57. Interviews with people who've used your products or services.

Miscellaneous:

58. Best posts of the year.59. Breaking industry news.60. Industry predictions for the future.61. Provide an analogy between what you do and something in life that people can relate to.62. Satirize your industry or products (could be via a comic)63. Reader polls and the results.64. Industry awards.65. Product and service reviews and recommendations.66. Quizzes or tests.67. Expose bad things that are happening in your industry.

Jill Whalen was a respected and highly sought after SEO Consultant / Speaker, CEO of High Rankings, an SEO Consulting company in the Boston, MA area from 1995 - 2013.

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